Author: PAT1

Rule Change Results 2023

Resolution 1. – General Rules – Rule 5 – Conditions, Rights and Obligations of Membership (f) – Amend rule to read: (f) Members who do not renew their subscription by 1^st February in any subsequent year after joining will lose their right of continuous membership and be required to pay a further joining fee.

Reason – to reduce the annual subscription late payment period from 4 months to 1 month. Many members pay their next year subscription from July for the coming year. The rules also allow members to renew by the end of April of the membership year. So annual subs are collected over a 9-month period. The General Council wish to tighten the subscription payment period for administration purposes.

RESULT = 108 For 21 Against & 4 Abstentions – PASSED

Resolution 2. – Judges Panel Conditions – B Conditions Relating To Subsidiary Panel Judges Only – Amend (a) and (c) and delete (f):
(a) Have completed a minimum of seven years membership of the Society of which three continuous years must immediately precede the application.
(c) Be over 18 years of age
(f) Pay the necessary registration fee as set by the General Council

Reason – To bring in line with current Novice, Intermediate and Champions section requirements and to remove the judge’s registration fee in line with current practice.

RESULT = 110 For 17 Against & 6 Abstentions – PASSED

Resolution 3. – Judges Panel Conditions – B Conditions Relating To Subsidiary Panel Judges Only – Introduction of an additional level of Subsidiary Judges for Novices under the following conditions:

2. To qualify for the novice subsidiary judges’ panel of the Budgerigar Society a member must:

(a) Have completed a minimum of three continuous years membership of the Society
(b) Have completed three full show seasons at Novice (or at a higher level if the candidate has moved up early or entered into partnership with a more senior member).
(c) Be over 18 years of age.
(d) Be a current breeder and exhibitor of Budgerigars at B.S. Championship or higher-level patronage shows.
(e) Apply in writing to the Society Administrator.

At the end of their second-year assessment (usually the end of first year Intermediate unless the candidate has moved up early or entered into partnership with a more senior member) the candidate will sit the same final judges test and if successful will only be allowed to judge at Rosette or Bronze Championship level shows. Once the candidate has completed their sixth year of membership (usually their first year as a Champion exhibitor), they are then qualified to judge any BS Patronage show.

All other Rules under B will apply.

Current rule B2 onwards to be renumbered accordingly.

Reason – To encourage Novices to become full panel judges earlier in their career as budgerigar fanciers. This proposed change is in response to novice members. This proposal, if successful, will have the effect of allowing a last year Novice exhibitor to commence the Judges Training Scheme and they will sit their test at the end of their first year as an Intermediate exhibitor. If the candidate is successful, they will only be allowed to judge Rosette and Bronze level BS patronage shows only until they complete their first year as a Champion exhibitor after which they will be allowed to judge all types of BS Patronage shows.

RESULT = 92 For 33 Against & 8 Abstentions – PASSED

Sample Letter

At the AGM of the Budgerigar Society, held on 23^rd April 2023, the Rule Change to allow Novice exhibitors to join the Judges Training Scheme was passed by a narrow majority. This change will allow Novice exhibitors who are in their last novice year to join the Judges Training Scheme.

The Judges Training Scheme runs over a two-year period. At the end of the two years the new candidate will be at the end of their first year as an Intermediate and invited to sit the final tests at the BS Club Show that year.

WHAT IS INVOLVED? A Trainee judge is required to attend six championship or higher-level patronage shows at the rate of three per year for assessment by a main panel judge. On completion of the six assessments the trainee judge can then request to sit the final tests at the BS Club Show.

QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for the novice subsidiary judges’ panel of the Budgerigar Society a member must:

(a) Have completed a minimum of three continuous years membership of the Society

(b) Have completed three full show seasons at Novice (or at a higher level if the candidate has moved up early or entered into partnership with a more senior member).

(c) Be over 18 years of age.

(d) Be a current breeder and exhibitor of Budgerigars at BS Championship or higher-level patronage shows.

(e) Apply in writing to the Society Administrator.

RESTRICTIONS

At the end of their second-year assessment (usually the end of first year Intermediate unless the candidate has moved up early or entered into partnership with a more senior member) the candidate will sit the same final judges test and if successful will be allowed to judge at Rosette or Bronze Championship level shows only. Once the candidate has completed their sixth year of membership (usually their first year as a Champion exhibitor), they are then qualified to judge all BS Patronage shows.

WHAT NEXT? Anyone who is interested and qualified to join this scheme should contact the BS Office either by letter or email requesting to join the scheme. This will then be passed to the Judges Training Scheme Co-ordinator who will send out an introductory letter.

For further information please contact:
Trevor Terheege Judges Training Scheme Co-ordinator
trevor.terheege@sky.com

The NEW Judges Handbook is now available to purchase from the BS Office in booklet form. £10 each plus postage.

Chairman’s Welcome – The Chairman began the meeting with a warm welcome and hoped everyone was having a good breeding season. He stated that there was an extensive agenda for the meeting and encouraged everyone to contribute in order that the meeting was productive.

Apologies for Absence – Apologies received from Chris Snell – on holiday and Janice Al-Nasser – unwell.

Ring samples for 2024 – The GC was advised that the new anodising machine has now been delivered to Avian ID. This means that our ring orders will be made in house from start to finish. There had been a slight delay in the initial set up of the new machine, but it is now ready to go and Jim Muir will receive two sets of rings – one standard size and one colour budgerigar size, for his assessment and report.

Judges Handbook – The judges handbook is now complete and will be posted to all judges by the end of March 2023. It will be accompanied by an introductory letter from the BS Chairman.

Rule Changes

a. Proposed Boundary Change – a letter has been received from South Midlands BS with a proposed boundary change. The area society members had asked that this be raised as they felt that their area was too large. After an in-depth discussion, the GC did not support the boundary change as SMBS is already our smallest area and with the fewest members. However, it was noted that SMBS could reach out to their neighbouring area society and ask if they would support a boundary change, and if so, write to the administrator with a rule change proposal to be put to the membership in 2024.

b. S Holland letter suggesting GC add the Terms of Reference (TOR) document to the rule book.

Following discussion, it was agreed that it would be inappropriate to incorporate the TOR into the Society rules but in the interests of transparency it should be made available to members via the BS website.

c. Patronage Conditions – Guidance for Best Practice – It was agreed that the wording about birds being rung needed to be changed to specify that birds shown in the Young Bird classes, must be wearing rings sourced through the BS office.

d. Stud Registrations – A letter received from Ian Ainley suggested the BS should formalise the acceptance of stud names and to charge for this service. After a discussion it was unanimously agreed that the rules already covered this and partnerships may call themselves by a partnership name or a stud name. No fee will be charged.

Club Show Committee Minutes held on 16.02.23 – The Club Show Committee had an informal meeting via zoom to meet the new members of the Club Show team. It is the intention to invite Dave Hislop and Ronnie Simpson to the next meeting in March, so that they can pass on the benefit of their many years’ experience. Rob Hughes will supply the BS Editor with press releases for the Budgerigar, the BS website and the Facebook page.

Patronage

a Patronage Administrator’s report – The Patronage Administrator advised that he had negotiated rosette costs for two tier rosettes at favourable prices as well as tail printing and ribbons.

Patronage Applications for 2023 are: Area Society – 10, Platinum (Included National and Scottish National) – 4, Gold (includes 2 x Anniversary Show upgrades) and Area invitation Upgrades – 15, Silver – 28, Bronze – 5, National S & R V – 1, Gold S & RV – 1, Area S & R V – 8, Rosette – 9, BS Club Show – 1, Colour Budgerigar Patronage – 2 (includes National S & R V Show).

There were 83 applications in total, which is down 30 from 2022.

He further advised that the six trophies for the new BS Achievement Awards had been ordered at a cost of £400.00 and will be presented at the BS AGM.

b Dennis Cairns – A letter with various suggestions in respect to patronage has been received from Dennis Cairns. It was agreed that this item be moved to the April face-to-face meeting to allow a fuller discussion to take place.

Memberships not renewed for 2023 – Some members have not renewed for 2023. It was proposed and unanimously agreed that at the end of March, a list would be produced and divided between the 10 elected BS Area representatives to find out why.

Judges Expenses – A letter has been received from Gavin Carter on travelling and accommodation expenses for judges with a suggestion of standardisation. After discussion it was unanimously agreed that these matters were not within the GC’s remit. It was further agreed that matters of judge’s expenses were best dealt with by individual clubs.

Joint Area Society Training Day – After discussion it was agreed that the Judges Training Coordinator together with the YBS & L&SC BS, who both have experience of organising training days, will develop a programme that is aimed at encouraging members into the first stages of becoming a judge. This will be based on the new Judges Handbook and shared with the GC at a future meeting.

BS AGM Arrangements – Arrangements for the AGM weekend in April are complete. Lincolnshire B&FBS together with Chris Snell are organising the Sales Show and Chris and Richard Miller are doing a head-to-head presentation.

Future Meetings – a letter was tabled suggesting the GC have more face-to-face meetings. It was agreed to look at this again after the face-to-face meeting in April.

Chairman’s/Society Administrator’s Referrals – The Chairman advised that he had one referral regarding the BS patronage at the Colour Budgerigar section of the National Specialist and Rare Variety Show. Since judging this part of the show in 2022 he had suggested that the Clearbody and Crest varieties be removed from the Any Other Colour section and given their own classes and CC’s, as the Any Other Colour classes were just too big. The GC agreed to this suggestion.

Date Of Next Meeting – 22^nd April 2023, at 10.00 a.m. at The Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln

Meeting closed at 2130hrs.